Counterbalance for a movable member



Feb 8, 1966 D. F. SWANSON ETAL 3,233,276

COUNTERBALANCE FOR A MOVABLE MEMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1962Feb. 8, 1966 D. F. swANsoN ET AL 3,233,276

COUNTERBALANCE FOR A MOVABLE MEMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1962United States Patent Oiiice 3,233,276 Patented Feb. 8, 1966 3,233,276COUNTERBALANCE FDR A MVABLE MEMBER Donald F. Swanson and Wynn G.Winkler, St. Paul,

Minn., assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of DelawareFiled `l'uly 9, 1962, Ser. No. 208,544 10 Claims. (Cl. 16-1) Thisinvention relates to a counterbalance structure for a movable membersuch as a hinged lid.

The counterbalance structure of this invention serves to provide acounterbalance force urging a movable member suc-h as a hinged lid in adirection opposite to its normal closing direction. Thus, the structureof this invention is particularly adapted for gravity movable closuresor lids and is especially useful with relatively heavy lids such as theinsulated lids for upwardly opening freezer cabinets.

One of the features of this invention is to provide an improvedcounterbalance structure for a movable member such as a weighted lid fora cabinet with the structure being of simple construction but efficientin operation and preferably constructed so that it can be completelycontained within the closure or lid so that no projections from the lidare produced.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of one ernbodiment thereof as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a top opening freezer 'having alid provided with a counterbalance embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a si-de elevation of the freezer.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of therear top of the lid taken substantially along line 3 3 of FIGURE 2partially broken away for clarity of illustration and foreshortenedFIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along line4 4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5 5 ofFIGURE 3 and with portions broken away for clarity of illustration.

The top opening freezer illustrated in the drawings comprises a cabinetbody normally closed with a lid 11 which is provided at the front withan operating handle 12. The lid, as can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, isrelatively thick as is customary and is provided with a hollow interioras illustrated at 13. The end portions of the cabinet 10 at the topthereof are also each provided with a hollow interior section asillustrated at 14.

Located within the hollow interior sections 13 14 at each end of thecabinet is a hinge 15 each having a downwardly projecting stem 16extending through aligned openings 17, 18 and 19 in the top of thecabinet body 10 and an arched portion 2i) extending upwardly from thestem portion 16 through an opening 21 in the bottom panel 53 of the lid11 and then curving downwardly from the top of the hinge toward the rearwall 54 of the lid 11. From the arched portion 20 a mounting portion 22at the end of the hinge 15 extends at right angles to the remainder ofthe hinge and adjacent the wall 54. These mounting portions 22 on whichthe lid actually turns are substantially against the rear wall 54 andextend toward each other. The lid is mounted on each of the portions 22by means of internal brackets 23. Each bracket is provide-d with acut-out looped tongue portion 24 against the rear wall 54 and closelyembracing the mounting portion 22 of a hinge on the innerside thereoffor approximately 180, as shown most clearly in FIGURE 4. Above themounting portions 22 of the hinges the brackets 23 are provided with topportions 25.

The stem portion 16 of each hinge 15 is adjustably locked in placewithin the openings 17-19 in the cabinet body by means of a clevis 26provided with a pair of openings 27 adjacent the openings 1S and 19 andthrough which the stem 16 extends. The clevis has substantially parallelside arms 28 containing the openings 27 andv with these arms beinglocated adjacent the parallel sides 29 of a clevis holding bracket 31D.The clevis 26 is slidable within these sides and is caused to move andbe locked in position by means of a bolt 31 having a head 32 accessiblefrom the exterior of the cabinet and a nut 33 threaded on the bolt 31.As can be seen in FIGURE 4, the bolt 31 extends through the base of thebracket 30 and the base of the clevis 26 with the nut 33 being on theside of the clevis opposite the bolt head 32. With this construction,when the bolt is turned by means of its head 32, pressure is applied orreleased on the hinge stem 16 to lock it in position or release' it formovement relative to the cabinet. With this arrangement, it is easy toregulate the spacing between the cabinet body 10 and the lid 11 so as toapply desired pressure on the sealing gasket 52 customarily providedbetween the cabinet body and the lid.

In order to counterbalance the weight of the lid 11l so that it will beeasier to open, there is provided a counterbalance structure including apair of torsion bars 34 and 35 located entirely within the lid 11.

The torsion bar 35 is provided with a hooked end 36 hooked over onehinge 15 at the portion 37 inwardly of the Ihinge mounting portion 22.This hook portion 36 is held in place on the hinge portion 37 byengaging a notch 38 in the top of the hinge portion 37. The torsion bar35 then extends to the left, as viewed in FIG- URES 3 and 5, and isprovided on its opposite end with a generally right angled end portion39 that is located against the inner surface of t-he opposite end 40 ofthe lid. Torsion bar 34 is provided with a hooked end 41 similar to thehooked end 36 of the other bar and similarly fastened in place over theother hinge 15. This torsion bar 35 extends to the opposite end 55 ofthe lid` and is similarly provided with a generally right angled endportion 42 that is similar to the end portion 39 of the torsion bar 34.As can be seen in FIGURE 3, the

torsion bars 34 and 35 are positioned adjacent each other within the lid11 and are completely enclosed within the lid.

The torsion bar 35 is held against substantial lateral displacement notonly by its engagement with the notch 38 in the hinge po1tion 37 butalso by its retention on top of a notched bracket 43 on the innersurface of the lid adjacent the rear wall 54. Torsion bar 34 issimilarly held against substantial lateral displacement by a similarbracket 44 and similar notch in the other hinge 15. As can-be seen, eachtorsion bar is thusly held against lateral displacement at opposite endsof the bar.

With the bars 34 and 35 so mounted they are arranged under torsionstress so that the weight of the lid resists the stress with the resultthat the stress tends to raise the lid about the hinge portions 22. Thisraising force isaccomplished by having the end portion 42 of torsion bar34 held beneath a movable nut 45 that is movable on rotation of athreaded bolt 46 in the lid 11 adjacent the end 55 thereof. This bolt isrotatably mounted by means of a head 47 on the lower end accessible fromthe bottom of the lid 11 and a riveted head 4S on the exterior of thetop portion 25 of the bracket 23. The bolt 46 extends generallyvertically when the lid is closed and the end portion 42 of the bar 34is held beneath the nut 45 and between the bolt 46 and the adjacent side55 of the lid as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The torsion in the bar 34 andthus the counterbalance force is regulated by turning the bolt 46 toposition the nut 45 upwardly or downwardly. Obviously, when the nut 45is moved downwardly the torsion stress in the bar 34 is increased so asto increase the counterbalance lifting reaction. Movement of the nut 45in the opposite direction has the opposite action. The end portion 39 oftorsion bar 35 is similarly located beneath a similar nut 49 that ismovably mounted on a similar bolt 46 which extends through bracket 23.

In installing each torsion bar 34 and 35 within the lid 11, thefollowing procedure is followed as exemplified by the torsion bar 34.The hooked end 41 is placed over its hinge and locked in place thereonin the manner described. The bar 34 is long enough so that the endportion 42 is outside the lid and extending generally upwardly andgenerally away from the nut 45 and bolt 46. The end portion 42 is thentwisted to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 4, and down to apply thetorsion stress to the bar. The bar 34 is then placed on the bracket 43and the end portion 42 is then placed beneath the nut 45 and adjacentthe lid end 21 and slowly released so that the bar portion 42 movesupwardly between the bolt 46 and the side 21 to bear against the bottomof the bolt 45, as viewed in FIGURE 4. The torsion bar 34 is then lockedin position and because of the stress in the bar provides thecounterbalance force to this side of the lid. As is shown in FIGURE 4,the force is transmitted through the end portion 42 to the lid 11 at apoint (the nut 45) spaced forwardly from the hinge axis 51.

As can be seen from this description of the installation, the installingof the torsion bar 34 within the lid is relatively easy, and this easeof installation is achieved because of the great length of the torsionbar 34 as it extends substantially the full interior length of the liditself. During the installation of the torsion bar 34 and before the endportion 42 is released the bar is placed on top of the bracket 43 whichtogether with the notch 38 aids in holding the bar 34 againstsubstantial lateral displacement.

The other torsion bar 35 is installed within the lid in the same manner.The torsion bars are of course installed prior to the time that thebottom of the lid is closed otf by the installation of the liner 53.

Having described our invention as related to the embodiment shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be notlimited by any of the details of description, unless otherwisespecified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scopeas set out in the accompanying claims.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A counterbalance structure for a movable member having means forminga hollow interior section, comprising: a pair of spaced hinge means onwhich said member is movably mounted, each hinge having a portion insaid section; a pair of torsion bars in said section; means forattaching a first area of each of said bars directly to said hinge meansportion in said section; means for attaching a second area of each barthat is spaced from said iirst area to said movable member, each of saidbars normally being stressed between said first and second areas toprovide a counterbalance to said member; and means for adjusting thestress of each bar from the exterior of said member.

2. A counterbalance structure for a movable member having means forminga hollow interior section, comprising: a pair of spaced hinge means onwhich said member is movably mounted, each hinge having a portion insaid section; a pair of torsion bars substantially completely withinsaid section; means for attaching one end of each bar to said hingeportion; and means for attaching the other end of each bar to saidmovable member, each said bar being stressed between its ends to providea counterbalance to said member` 3. A counterbalance structure for a lidhaving means forming a hollow interior section, comprising: a pair ofspaced hinge means on which said lid is movably mounted, each hingehaving a portion in said section; a pair of torsion oars in saidsection; means for attaching one end of each bar to a hinge; a pair ofthreaded bolts in said interior each rotatable from the exterior of saidlid; a threaded block on each said bolt movable along the bolt onrotation thereof; and means for retaining the other end of each baragainst a block, each said bar being stressed between its ends toprovide a counterbalance to said lid and each block opposing the stressin its respective bar, each said block being located forwardly of themounting of said lid on said hinge.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said other end of each bar isretained between a bolt, its block and an adjacent portion of said meansforming said hollow section.

5. A counterbalance structure for a movable member having means forminga hollow interior section, comprising: hinge means on which said memberis movably mounted; a pair of elongated torsion bars substantiallyentirely within said hollow section; means in said hollow section foranchoring a iirst area of each bar against movement relative to saidmovable member; and means in said hollow section for attaching a secondarea of each bar that is spaced from said first area to said movablemember, each of said bars normally being stressed between said irst andsecond areas to provide a counterbalance to said member.

6. A hinge and conuterbalance structure for a lid having opposite endsand means forming a hollow interior section, comprising: hinge means onwhich said lid is movably mounted; a pair of elongated torsion barssubstantially entirely within said hollow section; means in said hollowsection for anchoring one end of each bar against movement relative tosaid lid; and means in said hollow section for attaching the other endof each bar to said lid at an area spaced from said hinge means, eachbar being stressed between its ends to provide a counterbalance to saidlid and each of said ends of said bars being located substantiallyentirely within said lid and adjacent one of said ends of said lid.

'7. A hinge and counterbalance structure for a lid having opposite endsand means forming a hollow interior section, comprising: hinge means onwhich said lid is movably mounted; a pair of elongated torsion barssubstantially entirely within said hollow section; means in said hollowsection for anchoring one end of each bar against movement relative tosaid lid; a pair of threaded bolts in said interior each rotatable fromthe exterior of said lid; a threaded block on each said bolt movablealong the bolt on rotation thereof; means for retaining the other end ofeach bar against a block, each said bar being stressed between its endsto provide a counterbalance to said member and each block opposing thestress in its respective bar, each said block being located forwardly ofthe mounting of said lid on said hinge, each of said bar ends, each ofsaid bolts and each of said blocks being located adjacent a lid end; andmeans including a bracket in said hollow interior section for fixingeach bar against substantial lateral displacement.

8. A hinge and counterbalance structure for a lid having opposite endsand means forming a hollow interior section, comprising: hinge means onwhich said lid is movably mounted; a pair of elongated torsion barssubstantially entirely within said hollow section; means in said hollowsection for anchoring one end of each bar to said hinge means; a pair ofthreaded bolts in said interior each rotatable from the exterior of saidlid; a threaded block on each said bolt movable along the bolt onrotation thereof; means for retaining the other end of each bar againsta block, each said bar being stressed between its ends to provide acounterbalance to said lid and each block opposing the stress in itsrespective bar, each said block being located forwardly of the mountingof said lid on said hinge means to exert an opening force on said lid;and means including a pair of brackets in said hollow section eachlocated between the opposite ends of a bar and engaging said bar forpreventing substantial lateral displacement of its bar at substantiallyall positions of said lid.

9. A counterbalance structure for a movable member, comprising: fixedhinge means on which said member is movably mounted; a pair of torsionbars; means for attaching a rst area of each of said bars directly tosaid hinge means; and means for attaching a second area of each bar thatis spaced from said tirst area to said movable member at a pointforwardly of the mounting of said member on said hinge means to exert aleveraged force on said movable member, each of said bars normally beingstressed between said iirst and second areas to provide a counterbalanceto said member.

10. A counterbalance structure for a movable member, comprising: fixedhinge means on which said member is movably mounted; a pair of torsionbars; means for attaching a rst area of each of said bars directly tosaid hinge means; means for attaching a second area of each bar that isspaced from said first area to said movable member, each of said barsnormally being stressed between said first and second areas to provide acounterbalance to said member, at least one of said means for attachingbeing movably mounted; and means for moving said movably mounted meansfor attaching to regulate the stress in the respective bar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,602,957 7/1952Anderson 16-180 2,871,505 2/1959 Clark et al 16-180 2,894,277 7/1957Bogater et al 16-180 2,916,763 12/1959 Wagner 16-180 3,061,871 11/1962Swanson 16-180 3,153,255 10/1964 Bostwick 16-180 JOSEPH D. SEERS,Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner.

1. A COUNTERBALANCE STRUCTURE FOR A MOVABLE MEMBER HAVING MEANS FORMINGA HOLLOW INTERIOR SECTION, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF SPACED HINGE MEANS ONWHICH SAID MEMBER IS MOVABLY MOUNTED, EACH HINGE HAVING A PORTION INSAID SECTION; A PAIR OF TORSION BARS IN SAID SECTION; MEANS FORATTACHING A FIRST AREA OF EACH OF SAID BARS DIRECTLY TO SAID HINGE MEANSPORTION IN SAID SECTION; MEANS FOR ATTACHING A SECOND AREA OF EACH BARTHAT IS SPACED FROM SAID FIRST AREA TO SAID MOVABLE MEMBER, EACH OF SAIDBARS NORMALLY BEING STRESSED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND AREAS TOPROVIDE A COUNTERBALANCE TO SAID MEMBER; AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THESTRESS OF EACH BAR FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID MEMBER.